Sponge Reactor

-Logzor · Nov 18, 2011

I've been thinking about converting my BRS dual reactor into a sponge rector. I have a variety of sponges growing under my liverock and corals.

I have the typical pineapple sponge, yellow glob shaped sponges, some that grow flat (dark purple and white). I want to try harvesting these and placing them into the reactor among live rock rubble. I would probably find some way to black out the reactor acrylic so they would be in complete darkness.

I'm wondering if this would be beneficial in any way?

cdness · Nov 18, 2011

Interesting idea... Following along to see what others think. I don't know if it will work with higher flow, but if you kept it slow it just may work.

There are solid wider filter canisters at hardware stores that may work better than a BRS reactor...

-Logzor · Nov 18, 2011

cdness said:
Interesting idea... Following along to see what others think. I don't know if it will work with higher flow, but if you kept it slow it just may work.

There are solid wider filter canisters at hardware stores that may work better than a BRS reactor...

Well I like the idea that I could easily add more into the reactor as I find them, the BRS one is great because it's easy to screw off the housing and put it back on. You can also dial the MJ1200 back, via the valve on the reactor.

I was watching some show on the Discovery Channel awhile back, apparently sponges have the highest cell reproduction / shedding rate found in nature, apparently making them excellent for water filtration.

I'm thinking that making a safe and dedicated place for them will allow a density of sponges that will actually have an impact.

shred5 · Nov 18, 2011

You may want to do some research on cryptic zone filteration. Steve Tyree has done allot of research on this type of filtration. He sells seed packs for this stuff too...

Dave Polzin

-Logzor · Jun 14, 2012

I'm hoping to actually build this in the next couple of weeks. Would rubble rock be the best media in which to place the sponges? I plan on loosely adding BRS rubble rock with all the sponges I can get my hands on.

wysiwyg · Jun 14, 2012

sounds like a great idea will be following along to see how this works for ya

-Logzor · Jun 14, 2012

I something about this on a Discovery Channel show. Specifically the last couple of paragraphs:

Sponges recycle carbon to give life to coral reefs

Imagine if rather than skimmers we had giant sponge reactors?

Young Frankenstein · Jun 14, 2012

Thats a great idea !!

steamer51 · Jun 15, 2012

Research both sides of the controversy before deciding if you want to do it. I have read a lot about cryptic refugiums and convinced myself that I wanted one due to the benefits presented by Steve Tyree. I recently read some negative information by another source I consider reliable. Bottom line of the negative is that sponges consume a lot of bacteria that our corals want to eat and since they are active filter feeders get more than their share out of our systems because the corals have to just wait for the food to stick to them instead of sucking it out of the water. I am going to have a cryptic refugium (which is what your reactor will be on a small scale) on a future build but it will be a FOWLR since I love my sponges and want to keep more kinds. The negative information was posted on another forum so I'll pm you a link.

-Logzor · Jun 15, 2012

steamer51 said:
Research both sides of the controversy before deciding if you want to do it. I have read a lot about cryptic refugiums and convinced myself that I wanted one due to the benefits presented by Steve Tyree. I recently read some negative information by another source I consider reliable. Bottom line of the negative is that sponges consume a lot of bacteria that our corals want to eat and since they are active filter feeders get more than their share out of our systems because the corals have to just wait for the food to stick to them instead of sucking it out of the water. I am going to have a cryptic refugium (which is what your reactor will be on a small scale) on a future build but it will be a FOWLR since I love my sponges and want to keep more kinds. The negative information was posted on another forum so I'll pm you a link.

The article I linked above seems to indicate that the shedding of cells from the sponges actually feeds other organisms in the reef. Looks like I have some more reading to do.

Young Frankenstein · Jun 15, 2012

How much light will you have ?

-Logzor · Jun 15, 2012

Young Frankenstein said:
How much light will you have ?

I plan on spray painting the outside of the reactors housings black. So there will be zero light. Some of the sponges I have seem to tolerate some light but they certainly don't prefer it.